Sleeve-protector.



T. L. HOGAN.

SLEEVE PROTECTOR.

'APPLICATION FILED JAN.8,191B.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

mg Nunms perales cu., pHoro-urna.. wAsmNcmN. n. c.

THOMAS I.. HOGAN', OF NEW YORK, IN". 'YQ

SLEEVE-PROTECT 0R.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Application led January 8, 1918. Serial No. 210,848.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. HOGAN,

citizen of the United States, residing at New York, N. Y., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeve-Protectors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to sleeve protectors or cud protectors, its general objects being to equip a device of this character with simple, cheaply constructed and satisfactory means for maintaining the protector in the shape in which it is adjusted to a particular arm or sleeve. More particularly, my invention aims to provide a tubular sleeve protector constructed entirely out of a cheap material, such as paper, and so equipped that when adjusted to any desired taper, it may readily be latched in this tapering shape without employing auxiliary fastening elements, and may easily be unlatched without damaging any part of the appliance. Heretofore, protectors of this general class (that is to say, sleeve protectors for use of bookkeepers, saleswomen, clerks, and the like) have been constructed in the form of substantially cylindrical tubes and have then been contracted to the desired tapering shape by folding a portion of the tube upon itself, as shown for example in Patent No. 1227052, as issued on May 22, 1917. When thus tapered to it the particular arm or sleeve over which the protector was used, the folded-over portion was .attached to an adjacent part of the protector by some auxil iary means, such as the rubber band illustrated in my said patent, or the gummed tab shown for the same purpose in my copending application 198020, flled October 23, 1917. Such auxiliary fastening means have not proven entirely satisfactory. In the case of the rubber band, this was apt to snap, and also to catch on any projections over which the protector was moved' when in service;

while a string or cord when substituted for the same purpose was likewise apt to catch on adjacent objects, and also was likely to become untied. Moreover, such a band or cord if drawn tight would crease the protector, thereby rendering the latter unsightly, and sometimes alsocausing an unsightly indentation of they sleeve or cuff incased by the adjacent part of the protector;

So, also, when the protector was removed, the rubber band or cord was apt to be lost, and where a cord was used, this often could only be untied by enlisting the service of another person. Because of these objections, tubular protectors of the class to which my invention relates have not been used as extensively as they deserve. While a gummed tab when used after the manner of my copending application No. 198020 avoids this danger of catching on adjacent objects, it has the other objection of maintaining the protector permanently adjusted, so that the protector if adjusted to a tight iit at the wrist cannot be removed without tearing the gummed tab. In other words, to use the gummed tab fastening for any prolonged period, it has been necessary to adjust the protector to a tube of such size at the wrist that the entire hand could still be withdrawn through it, thereby spoiling the appearance of the protector and somewhat interfering with its effectiveness also.

To overcome these and other objections,

my present invention aims to provide a tubul the protector and for speedily unlatching it when Vthe protector is to be taken off. To accomplish this general purpose, I equip the tubular protector with means for engaging j the free tip of the doubled triangular portion which is folded upon the exterior of the tube for effectively tapering the latter, and desirably pro-vide the said tip-receiving means in the form of a socket or pocket entered by the extreme corner portion of the said tip when the said corner portion is turned in between the main portion of the protector and the larger part of the said adj ustment-aft'ording triangular fold. The tip-receiving equipment for this purpose may be constructed cheaply and effectively in a number of different ways, some of which are described more fully in lthe following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.,v In these drawings,

Figurel is a perspective view of one form of my sleeve protector when in use.

Fig. 2 is a plan view vof the saine preteetor in the flattened form in which it is shipped.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged and fragmentary transverse section through a portion of the protector of Fig. 1, showing the operative arrangement of the interlocking parts.

Fig. 4t is a fragmentary flattened view of another embodiment, namely one in which theextreme tip of the folded over portion is adapted ytobe'folded into a pocket disposed on the outer surface of the protector.

' Fig. 5 is a fragmentary flattened view of another `tjypenamely one in which the tip of the adjusting fold is inserted through a slot into the interior of the tubular protector, or into the space between the inner surf face of the tube and a protective lining.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged frclgmentary and transverse section through a protector constructed after the manner of Fig. 5.

Generally speaking, I accomplish the pur# poses of'l my invention by equipping a portion of a tubular protector *with means adapted vto be engaged by, or interlocked with, that portion of the tube which is formed into a foldV when shaping the tube tothe desired taper for fitting the' arm of the user. Preferably, l provide such engaging means in a disposition in which the same will engage the extreme tip of the folded-over portion of the tube, and desirably in a disposition in which it will clamp this extreme tip between other portions of the protector, so that any strain tending to enlarge the bore of the protector will squeeze vthis tip all the more tightly between adjacent parts, while still permitting the tip to be easily withdrawn by a simple manipulation from the exterior of the protector. For example, in the type of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, my protector consists of a cylindrical tube of paper or the like, which is flattened as shown in lFig. 2 for convenient storing and shipping and for delining a fold edge in desirable relation to the longer side of the tube, or the side adapted to be under the forearm when the protector is in use. Fastened to this tube 1 at 'some distance from the'longer fold'edge is a strap 2, which strap is desirably made of somewhat stronger material than the body of the tube, and which in the type of Fig. 2 is secured tothe exterior of the tube only at its ends. 'In using the protector as thus constructed, the tube is slipped over the 'arm with the longer fold edge 3 downwardly directed, and is then contracted by forming a triangular fold fromvthe portion adjacent to this edge 8, pressing this fold againstthe body of the tube and'turn'- ing the extreme forward tip or corner of vthis fold over between the fold and the body 'and the hook-engaging `edge may 'be disofthe tube, so that this tip can be slid between loose portion of the strap and the part lof the tube adjacent thereto. The free tip dor corner l is *desirably inserted between the Strap and the tube to such an extent as todraw the remainder of the said fold portion tightly against the body of the tube, whereupon the fold can be pressed tightly against the tube along the upper edge of the strap, thus defining a fold line e at the crease of the fold which .is hooked over the top of the strap. When the protector has thus been contracted lto an arm-litting or sleeve-fitting shape, it will be obvious from Fig. 3 that anyl tendency to enlarge the bore of the tapering tube will squeezeor clamp the inserted tip not only between the strap and the main p ortion of the tube,but al'sobetween the latter and the main portion of the fold, so that this clamping 'a'ction will cooperate with. the hooking of the fold over the upper-edge of the lstrap for resisting a withdrawal of the tip by any tendency toward expanding the tube. However, by inserting a pencil 'or linger under the hook-forming portion of the lfold at the exterior of the protector as shown in dotted lines at 5 in Fig. 1, the tip may readily be snapped out of" its holding position, thereby permitting the protector to be expanded to its full cylindrical shape, and to be lwith,- drawn over the hand of the user even when Jthe protector had been contractedV to a close tit over the wrist. 'Te increase thehold of the tip on a tube of the protector, and par'- ticularly to prevent the strap from Vbeing loosened from its pasted fastenings along the upper edge of the strap bythe inserting of the'tip, which inserting may tend to rock the strap downwardly'or awayl from the tube aboutthe lower edge of the strap, I desirably widen the ends of the *strapY upwardly of the protector, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Similar extensions may also be used to advantage when the tip-engaging element is in the form of a pocket (as in Fig'il),

posed at various angles with respect to the fold edge 3, as shown'in the drawings. i i i However, whileI have illustrated and described my inventionas embodied in a form comprising a 'paper' 'cylinder and a strap pasted at its ends on'the exterior ofthe latter, I do not wish 'to be limited to these or other details ofthe construction andv arV- rangement here disclosed, it being obvious that'thesame might' be modifiedinmany ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, a pocket l2' i might be substituted vforthef said strap as shown in Fig.' 4; or,vr the inwardlyffolded free tip of lthe main Afold might be inioo Y last named construction, I preferably equip the tubular protector upon its interior with a guard strip or backing 9 which will bear against the sleeve of the wearer to prevent the inserted tip of the protector from catching on the material of this sleeve.

With any of the embodiments thus described, it will be evident from the drawings that the protector of my invention can readily be adjusted to fit arms orsleeves varying considerably in size, and that the combined clamping and hooking action will securely maintain the protector in this adj usted position when in normal service. However, the latching tip or corner can readily be unlatched as above described, thus permitting the protector to be flattened out again when not in service. Then, the previously deiined fold lines will expedite a repetition of the same adjustment for the protector, thus making the same unusually convenient and serviceable for continued use until soiled. Moreover, the cheapness of the needed material, and the simplicity of construction should make my protector so low in cost as to permit of its widespread introduction. To adapt the protector more adequately to the shape of the arm, I desirably shorten the tube at its upper edge, or the one opposite the said fold edge 3, and desii-ably curve both ends of the tube, somewhat after the manner illustrated in the drawings. However, I do not wish to be limited to such a shape, as it will be obvious that the taper-maintaining feature of my invention would operate equally well regardless of the shape of the ends of the tube.

l claim as my invention:

l. A sleeve protector comprising a substantially unbroken tube of flexible material, and means fast upon the tube for engaging the tip of a triangular fold formed from said tube.

2. A sleeve protector comprising a substantially unbroken tube of flexible material, and means fast upon the tube for` engaging the tip of a triangular fold formed from said tube when the said tip is folded between the body of the tube and an ad; jacent part of the tube.

3. A sleeve protector comprising a tube of iexible material and an auxiliary member fastened to the tube at a pair of spaced points, the said member having an intermediary portion spaced from the tube to afford a socket for receiving the inwardly folded tip of a triangular fold formed from the tube.

4. A tapering sleeve protector comprising a tube of sheet material and anchoring means carried thereby, a portion of the said tube being formed into a substantially triangular double-thickness fold and the free tip of the said fold being doubled back upon the said fold to afford a hook engaging the said anchoring means.

5. A sleeve protector comprising a substantially unbroken tube of iexible material, and means fast upon the tube for clampingly socketing the doubled tip of a triangular fold formed from a portion of the said tube.

6. A sleeve protector comprising a tube of iiexible material having a portion thereof formed into a tapering fold bearing against the outer surface of the said tube for effectively tapering the tube, and means carried by the tube and over which the free corner of the said tapering fold may be hooked to hold the latter in its tube-tapering position, the said means being so disposed as to permit the insertion of the said corner between the same and an adjacent portion of the protector, thereby causing any expanding tendency of the tapering tube to clamp the said corner between the last named two parts of the protector.

Signed at Chicago, December 31st, 1917.

THOMAS L. HOGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). C. 

